Hand protecting device



Sept. 4, 1934. w. J. McCANN HAND PROTECTING DEVICE Filed April 20, 1952ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Patented Sept. 4, 1934 1391219 15 HAND PQROTIECTING.William J. McCann, Lakewood, Ohio Application April 20;,1932,.SrialNo..60'6,419 V 8 Claims;

'I'hisinvention relates to improvements in hand protecting devices suchas; are used, for example,

by housewives in grasping the heated handles of cooking utensils andthelike. a 5 The general object of the present invention is the provisionof an. improved hand protecting; device of the character described,which device is: simple and inexpensive in construction, convenient touse,-neat and pleasing; appearance and of great durability.

A more'specific object of the present: invention isxthe provision of ahand protecting device of. the character described which comprises anelongated gripping'portion oft preformed inverted U shape in crosssection and a pair of elongated protecting side shield portions, one oneach side of said gripping portion. The front ends of. said sideshieldportionsare connected, prefe'rablysby a detachable connectiomto. theopposite sides of the; front .end' of' said gripping portion; whereby anelongated thumb or finger receiving cavity: is formed along each side ofsaid gripping. portion. Inasmuch as the rear ends'ofsaid side shieldportions are free ofconnection to said gripping portion, convenientaccess to saidcavities: is readily afforded.-

A- further object of the present inventionisithe provision of animprovedhand protecting device of the character described, said device, in itspreferred embodiment, having its gripping portion maintained in invertedU-shape in cross section by means of an elongated backbone member ofcorresponding shape in cross section, said member being removablysecured in an elongated pocket with which said gripping portion is:provided. Meansispreferably provided for preventing. accidental escapeof saidbackbone member, but the removal of said member, when'desired,fsuch aswhen the device is laundered, can be readily effected. p I Afurther object of the present invention i's the provision of a. handprotecting device of the character described havingsimpleandinexpensively 'formed'meansfor enabling the device to 'bereadily l'mng upon-arhook, nail or'the like, in such position that itmaybeeasily' and conveniently grasped whe'naitsuse is desired. l iirtlieiobjects" of the present invention arelin part obvious and in partwillappear more in detail hereinafter." I s The inventionwill be readilyunderstood? from the following description thereof, reference being hadtothe accompanying" drawing in which I isa top plan view of one form ofthe present device, the viewshowing-said device in its opened outcondition; Fig. 2 is a similar view of said device in its condition foruse; Fig. 3 is a.

cross sectional view of said device in its condition: for;useg-theview'being on the line 3-3-,-Fig. 2; Figni-is a similar view ofsaid device in its opened out; condition;- the viewbeing on the line 44,Fig. I; Fig, 5 isv a; top plan view of asIightly modifiedform of thepresent devicethe view showing said device in. its opened out condition;andFig. 6 is a sideelevation of said modified form of the presentdevice. 1 l

Referringfirst to'the, form of the deviceshown; Figs; 1 to- 4 inclusive,,it'will be" seen thatsaid device; in plan view, is of generallyrectangular shape when in its opened out condition- Preferably; saiddevice comprisesa lower layer of fabric 1",; an=upperlayer of fabric 2and suitable padding 3 therebetween, said-padding being of cottonbatting, shaker flannel or other suitable material of suchcharacterand/or of suchthickness as to be heat resisting to a greater or; lesserdegree. The front andzrear edgesfiiand 6, respectively, and the sideedges: 7 of the present'device are suitably bound by' cloth tape 9 01"the like, securedto said layers and said padding by suitable stitching10. Pref erably, andasshown, the upperandjlower layers 1- and12i are:connectedby suitable stitching 11, so that the'device: is of generallyquilt construction, as willbe':readily'understood'. a Secured to the:upper'fabric layer 2,;at substantially therniddle thereof and extendingfrom substantially' the front edge 5' to'substantially the rear edge6,Iis a cloth strip: 12; the: side-edgeslB of WhichLare preferablystitched at 14 or otherwise suitably secured: to said upperiabric layer.The: front edge" l6v of said stripis also secured to said upper fabriclayer, preferably by the stitch ing 10 which secures the: binding tape9-inplace; The: strip l2r'is so secured to said: upper fabric layer 2that some transverse fullness is provided, wherebyapocketsm'isformed-between saidstrip and said .upperlayer; This pocket? is adaptedto removabl'y receivel an elongated backbone. member 2050f preformedU-sha'pe in crosssection, said member'being of rubber, felt compositionor other suitable material that can be given the preformed shape? justmentioned. The length of said backbone member is slightly less than thatof the-pocket 18 and in order'toprevent accidental escape of said memberfrom said pocket, the mouth of said: pocket is; preferably restricted,such as by the stitching 2'2. Therefore,:in order to insert the backbonemember 20 into the pocket? 18', and also, to remove it therefrom, thetransverse arching or'curvature of said'member constitute the side walls25 of the gripping por-Q.

tion and when the device is in its condition for use, as in Fig. 2, forexample, said gripping 'por-" tion side walls are more or lessvertically disposed, thereby giving the entire gripping portion aninverted U-shape in cross section, as'bes' shown in Fig. 3.

The two side marginal sections of the tions 28 thereof. These sideshield portions, particularly the front end parts thereof; are adaptedto extend more or less vertically'when the present device is in itscondition for use; as in'Fig. 2, for example. Therefore, when the'deviceis in such condition, an elongated cavity 32 is formed along each sideof the gripping portion, each of said cavities having for its inner sidea side wall 25 of the gripping portion and having for its outer side aside shield portion 28. One of the cavities 32 is for a thumb of thehand of the person using the device and the other of said cavities forthe fingers of said handyas will be readily understood.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawing shows the above described form of thepreesnt device in its opened out condition. In such condition, it issubstantially flat, the middlepart of the gripping portion thereofhaving a slight upward curvature in cross section because of itscorrespondingly curved backbone member 20. Therefore, during quantityshipment or storage, the present devices should preferably remain intheir opened out condition, inasmuch as maximum compactness is obtainedthereby.

In order to enable the present'device to bearranged in its condition foruse, as in Fig. 2, for example, means is provided for effectingconnection of the front end of each of the side shield portions 28 tothefront end of the adjacent side Wall 25 of the gripping portion. Suchconnection is preferably of detachable character, in order to enable thepresent device to be readily changed from its opened out condition toits condition for use, and vice versa. In the form of the device shown.in'Figs. l to 4 inclusive, detachable connection of the side shieldportions 28 to the side walls 25 of the gripping'portion is effected bysnap fasteners, the front ends of said side shield portions being eachprovided with a stud member 35 and the front end of each of saidgripping portion side walls being provided with a cooperating socketmember 36. In this form of thepresent'device, the connectingmembers 35,36 are arranged in substantially a straight line along the front edge 5thereof, the stud members 35 being located adjacent the side edges 7 andthe socket members 36 being located adjacent the strip 12.

The rear ends of'the side shield portions 28, being free of'connectionto the gripping portion, lie in spaced relation thereto, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2. Convenient access to the cavities 32 is thereforealways afforded and proper-gripping veniently receive a hook; nail orthe like.

present device constitute the protecting side shield por-' such apreformed shape.

of the present device in position for use, is as a result easily andconveniently accomplished.

In order to enable the present device to be quickly and easily hung upona hook, nail or the like, the rear end of the backbone member 20 isprovided with a longitudinally disposed extension in the form of an ear40, said ear being provided with an aperture 41 of such size as to con-In such suspended position,the present device is always available foruse.

The form of the present device illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of theaccompanying drawing differs but slightly from the foregoing describedform of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of saiddrawing. 'In the modified form of Figs. 5.

and 6 buttons 3 6a and cooperating button holes 3511 are used todetachably connect the protecting side shield portions 28a to the sidewalls 25a of the gripping portion, rather than snap fasteners as'in saidpreviously described form." Furthermore, in said modified'form, thefastening means ofthe side shield portions 28a, that is, the buttonholes 35a in the embodiment illustrated, are not in a straight line withtheir cooperating fastening means, to wit, the buttons 36a, but areoffset rearwardly therefrom. The result of'such rearward offsetting istheraising of the rear ends of the side shield portions 28a, asishown inFig.6 and as will be readily understood.

Preferably, and as shown, in the modified form of the device illustratedin Figs. '5 and 6, the front edges 5a of the side shield portions 2811'are inclined slightly rearwardly relative to the front edge5b of thegripping portion. Thiscauses the button holes 35a to be located adjacentsaid front edges 5a, rather than rearwardly therefrom.

Although in each of the two here illustrated forms of the present deviceI have shown a grippingportion which is maintainedin an inverted U-shapein cross section by a-correspondingly shaped fbackbone member, and'inthe preferred forms of my invention I prefer to; use such a member, itisto be understood that other means may be employedto maintain thegripping portion in For example, the parts forming the gripping portion,namely, those portions of the lower and upper fabric layers 1 and 2 andthe padding 3 therebetween, may be so stitched together as to give themsucha preformed shape. Likewise, other changes may be madeI-in'v thepresent device without departing from either the scope or the spirit ofthis 11nvention.

. -As will be readily understood,.the construction of the side walls ofthe gripping portion and the side shield portions is such, due partly tothe quilt-like stitching 11, that said portions have sufiicient rigidityto more or less hold their positions but ample flexibility to enable aheated cooking utensil handle to. be easily and firmly grasped. a I

, What I claim is: I

1. A handprotecting device of the;character described,- comprising anelongated gripping portion, and apair of elongated protecting sideshield portions, one on each side of said gripping portion, the frontend part of each'of said shield portions being detachably connected tothe front end part of said gripping portion and the rear end parts ofsaid-shield portions being free 0 connection to said gripping portion.

2. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated flexible gripping portion, a pair of elongated flexibleprotecting side shield portions, one on each side of said grippingportion, the front end part of each of said shield portions beingconnected to the front end part of said gripping portion and the rearend parts of said shield portions being free of connection to saidgripping portion, and removable means for giving said gripping portion apreformed inverted U-shape.

3. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated flexible gripping portion having an elongated pocket, a pairof elongated flexible protecting side shield portions, one on each sideof said gripping portion, the front end part of each of said shieldportions being connected to the front end part of said gripping portion,the front end part of each of said shield portions being connected tothe front end part of said gripping portion and the rear end parts ofsaid shield portions being free of connection to said gripping portion,and removable means in the pocket of said gripping portion for givingsaid portion a preformed inverted U- shape.

4. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated flexible gripping portion having an elongated pocket, a pairof elongated flexible protecting side shield portions, one on each sideof said gripping portion, the front end part of each of said shieldportions being connected to the front end part of said gripping portion,the front end part of each of said shield portions being connected tothe front end part of said gripping portion and the rear end parts ofsaid shield portions being free of connection to said gripping portion,an elongated member of preformed inverted U-shape arranged in the pocketof said gripping portion for giving said portion a correspondingpreformed inverted U-shape, and means for preventing accidental escapeof said member from said pocket.

5. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated flexible gripping portion having an elongated pocket, a pairof elongated flexible protecting side shield portions, one on each sideof said gripping portion, the front end part of each of said shieldportions being connected to the front end part of said gripping portion,the front end part of each of said shield portions being connected tothe front end part of said gripping portion and therear end parts ofsaid shield portions being free of connection to said gripping portion,and an elongated member of preformed inverted U-shape arranged in thepocket of said gripping portion for giving said portion a correspondingpreformed inverted U-shape, said elongated member being provided at oneend with an extension having an aperture therein for enabling the deviceto be hung upon a hook or the like.

6. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising agenerally rectangular flexible structure, the side portions of whichconstitute protecting shield portions and the middle portion of whichconstitutes a gripping portion, said gripping portion being providedwith a pocket arranged at substantially the middle of said structure andextending from the front end thereof to the rear end thereof, a memberof preformed inverted U-shape in cross section arranged in said pocketand having a length corresponding to that of said pocket, whereby saidgripping portion is given by said member a corresponding preformedinverted U-shape, and means for connecting the outer front corners ofsaid shield portions to said gripping portion adjacent the front endthereof, whereby an elongated pocket is formed along each side of saidgripping portion. 7

"7. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated gripping portion and a pair of elongated protecting sideshield portions, one on each side of said gripping portion, and meansfor detachably connecting the front ends of said shield portions to thefront end of said gripping portion, said means comprising fasteningparts on the front ends of said shield portions and cooperatingfastening parts on the front end of said gripping portion, the fasteningparts on the front ends of said side shield portions being offsetrearwardly from the fastening parts on said gripping portion when saidside shield portions are free of connection to said gripping portions.

8. A hand protecting device of the character described, comprising anelongated gripping portion, a pair of elongated protecting side shieldportions, one on each side of said gripping portion, and means fordetachably connecting the front ends of said shield portions to thefront end of said gripping portion, said means comprising fasteningparts on the front ends of said shield portions and cooperatingfastening parts on the front end of said gripping portion, the frontedges of said shield portions being inclined rearwardly relative to thefront edge of said gripping portion when said shield portions are freeof connection to said gripping portion.

WILLIAM J. McCANN.

